While I love bamboo the clean up is daily as they shed old leaves constantly , long concrete look tubs with an evergreen magnolia little gem or Lilly pilly would give a beautiful look, paint fence charcoal, add a few designer chairs and a small table , some lovely pots and you will have a gorgeous stylish area, your cushions are great, even a water feature bowl would look lovely

Looking really great so far, the step in the same tile is a trip hazzard I would frame it in stained timber, and agree while I love bamboo they can be very messy.

consider a pergola and height extensions to the fence to create taller walls and roof to enclose the courtyard and provide a frame to grow climbing plants for privacy screens without reducing the available floor space...ask your nursery for the best climber to suit your area (eg potato vine will grow very quickly and is very easy to manage supported by a simple open wire mesh over pergola roof and walls)

Thank you all for your lovely ideas! I had thought about another rectangular planter box with some tall plants but it is pretty hard to grow things in that spot - everything I've tried so far except the indestructible Frangipani has died. But definitely need to change out the big round pots. Love the idea of the pebbles too - I do like a serene Japanese type theme, so that would work. We have pebbles in a bed out in the other courtyard around the back and they are great, no fuss, and look good after years of just sitting there. And thanks for the feedback on the fence colour - I wondered whether dark would be right of if it would be too dark given the drab buildings behind... but I guess they will all blend in a bit more then, and if we get a white table and chairs then it will be a bit of a pop. I certainly love the colour of green leaves against black or dark charcoal. Thanks so much to you all!

Just wanted to say you have done a beautiful job with your back patio, and love your decor. Best wishes implementing some of the above ideas, and please post an After photo!

Here is our Pergola Idea Book. https://www.houzz.com.au/ideabooks/69917791/thumbs/pergolas

Maybe an open timber pergola with a creeper or vine may suit this area?

Good job! Fence looks good for me. You can add some hanging basckets with plants/flowers.

The space looks lovely. I would paint the fence a dark grey/charcoal. Basically more greenery is needed to soften the space and make it a nice sanctuary.

You could use the fence and make a wall garden the same length of the higher platform step. Further along you could get long rectangular planters and plant something that has height to help screen neighbours.

Alternatively you could put the long rectangular planters along the fence in front of the platform step (the same length) and put white pebble in between the fence and platform step encompassing the whole area so you are making zones. A few pavers, if you like, sitting through the pebbles connecting the zones.

Further along make that the relaxing zone with a wall garden, corner suite (against the house) and single chair.

Another consideration would be to install a vertical garden to a) soften the space b) create something interesting/pleasing for the eye to look at and c) will reduce some of the heat that’ll be absorbed by the dark colours/lack of shade

Plenty of plants can grow in there - strawberries, blueberries, pineapple sage, grasses, ground covering succulents, spring onions, tomatoes ... only limit is aspect and imagination.

Upside too is doesn’t take up a lot of space/depth. Although would break up into sections rather than have whole fence like that. Mix in/alternate with a water feature; large potted plants such as viburnum, snowball viburnum, port wine magnolia (?), pittosporum etc or an old metal frame/gate over the front of a mirror.

Thank you all for your wonderful feedback! Annb, thank you for your lovely compliment. And Vuetrade and oklouise, we are having an open pergola installed (there is an old rotting one there already) at the end of the courtyard where the garage leads into the house. But it's more for function than relaxing as there is so much room along the back. Voutred, thanks for the plant ideas - very helpful as I have no idea about these things, I'm going to google them all! Even though I only have 2 frangipani's in pots there at the moment, they are driving me mad with all the flower drops, as it's so noticeable on the tiles! So I guess they must go!

Thanks to everyone, this is such a great way to ponder our next steps!

Just a build the viburnum or pittosporum will give you height/hedging and love a good prune to keep them dense/thick whilst growing. Reasonably fast growing too - just don’t forget to water them.
If the budget and home handiness stretches to it worthwhile putting in irrigation to the pots so you can just turn it on (or put on timer).

Lavender loves a sunny spot as does a mount tambourine grevilla or most gardenias, for lower pots to group around corners/posts. Also bring in some light scent for the evening. Could also pot a lemongrass .. look amazing swaying in a light breeze but also can cook with or have just to keep the mozzies away!

To save you the leg work

Here are the others..